Sat, Dec 28, 2013

I hate New Year’s resolutions. The reason? Well, it’s not so much the well-meaning, lofty—yet ofttimes delusional—resolutions many of us spout off at midnight (wasted, of course) … it’s because of the lack of sober follow through once January 1st smacks us in the face. Yep, as Al Gore once famously said, amidst all our good intentions, “it’s hard for a zebra to change its spots.” More than likely most of us will revert back to the way we’ve always been.

Education is the great equalizer. Yet, while President Obama was talking earlier this month about how minority and underprivileged Americans need a “decent education,” his Department of Education (ED) was pushing more onerous regulations that would have the opposite effect.

Until his arrest in October 2003, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, the oligarch and oil executive, was the richest man in Russia. He might have still been the richest man in Russia today if he hadn’t started thinking about politics.

The goal isn’t simply to repeal the President’s bad policy. That merely gets us back to where we were in 2009. We need to figure out how to restore market forces to healthcare, and that means undoing decades of misguided government intervention.

If the Brotherhood persists in continuing protests, as they announced today, they will make it easier for the police to identify, track and arrest the most courageous and foolhardy Brothers, which is what the police want.

As this session of the 113th Congress draws to a merciful close, much of the punditry has picked up on the refrain that this is the “most unproductive Congress in history.” Indeed, this Congress has passed just 28 bills, easily eclipsing the previous record for inactivity set by Congress in 2012.

It’s my opinion that reporters often insufficiently examine how state and local politicians spend federal tax dollars. Heck, I’m even surprised when a reporter mentions that the money originated from Uncle Sam to begin with.

She is obviously, after all, not looking for an increase in income… She’s looking for more money for less work. And that attitude, more than corporate profits or the minimum wage law, is likely to blame for her diminutive pay.

MSNBC had a truly bizarre discussion about Jesus, sexuality, and freedom of speech… And, apparently, Christians are all somewhat gay cannibals. Michael Schaus also spoke with Amity Shlaes about the conservative legacy of Calvin Coolidge. (Yeah, strange topics. But, c’mon: It’s an hour long show... On a Friday.)

Fri, Dec 27, 2013

In the aftermath of the allegedly “homophobic” comments made by Duck Dynasty’s Phil Robertson, the man known as “America’s most famous rabbi” has offered a dissenting opinion. Between the rabbi and the duck hunter, who got it right?

Rep. Rhonda Fields, a Colorado legislator who lacks the capacity to digest the meaning of the word “criminal”, said that dozens of criminals would be walking around with guns if it wasn't for Colorado's new gun laws. Meanwhile, many law-abiding citizens likely committed a new crime this Christmas when they unwittingly circumvented the state’s “universal background” check by giving a gun as a gift to family or friends.

Former Durham, NC district attorney Mike Nifong was disbarred for withholding evidence from the defense and lying to the court in the trumped-up Duke lacrosse team rape case. Ex-Boston crime lab technician Annie Dookhan was prosecuted for faking test results and contaminating drug samples, to get accused dealers convicted. In both cases, charges against their victims were dismissed or are under review.

Where is the high level sense of outrage? Where are the words of condemnation that are commensurate with the brutal, murderous actions against innocent civilians? They seem to be all but absent as Assad unleashes mass bombings that are just as deadly as his previous use of chemical weapons.

With days to go before recreational pot use becomes legal in Colorado, those of us who live in Boulder are wondering what will change. Marijuana use is already ubiquitous. Open up the free newspapers on campus at the University of Colorado, and ads for "medical" marijuana fill the pages. Funny how a "medicine" whose primary benefits are restricted to glaucoma, chemotherapy-induced nausea and peripheral neuropathy -- conditions far more likely to afflict the elderly -- is being marketed to college kids. But, come January 1, pot entrepreneurs will be able to push Purple Haze, Blue Rhino and Sour Diesel without the fig leaf.

At Christmas we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, whom we Christians believe is the second person of the divine Trinity, who took on human form to experience our sufferings, die for us and make our salvation possible.

The wheels began to come off Obamacare in 2011 when the administration announced that the "CLASS Act," a provision to provide long-term disability care, was, in the words of Kathleen Sebelius, "totally unsustainable," and would be discontinued.

Christmastime is an occasion for families to come together. But the family is not what it used to be, as my former American Enterprise Institute colleague Nick Schulz argues in his short AEI book "Home Economics: The Consequences of Changing Family Structure."

Right now, it's safe to say the US economy is heating up, and while it is too early for superlatives like cookin with gas, momentum is pointing in the right direction. But, it's too soon to be cocky or to confuse a resilient economy with proof that economic policies are working.

It’s hard to argue that we are still a nation of laws when one man (residing at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue) can unilaterally change the effect of duly passed legislation. Ilya Shapiro, with Cato, joined the program to discuss the many ways Obama is trying to shred the Constitution.

I sat down in front of a microphone and an open Skype line recently to engage in a wide ranging discussion with one of the most interesting thinkers in America today, Father Robert Sirico, founder of the Acton Institute.

Thu, Dec 26, 2013

Seamus Peter O'Toole was an alcoholic and actor but, thankfully, not in that order. He would win worldwide recognition after he played the title role in David Lean's magnificent "Lawrence of Arabia," which was not only a grand spectacle but historically accurate in its broad outlines.

The New Year is a time of reflection and resolution. So many people get out their pens and paper, well maybe iPads and iPhones, and begin to reflect on the past year and how they can move forward for the better in the calendar year to come. But, some things are better left forgotten. This year, Planned Parenthood has a few things that they might not want to be so reflective about.

Just before Congress recessed for the holidays, 26 senators — 13 Democrats and 13 Republicans, led by Senators Robert Menendez (D., N.J.) and Mark Kirk (R., Ill.) — introduced the Nuclear Weapon Free Iran Act of 2013. Its purpose: to ready new sanctions that would be triggered only if Iran’s rulers either fail to meet the obligations they have undertaken under a “Joint Plan of Action” or foot-drag on talks meant to lead to a “comprehensive agreement.”

The week between Christmas and New Years has always been one of my favorite times of the year. The hustle and bustle of Christmas is past, and the resolutions of the New Year have not yet kicked in, so the expectations and requirements are few.

If there’s one thing at which conservatives and Republicans excel, it’s snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. Republicans would control the Senate today were it not for poorly prepared candidates and badly run campaigns.

In a recent and very good book, John L. Allen comes to the judgment that "Christians today indisputably are the most persecuted religious body on the planet," and he concludes that "the transcendent human rights concern of our time is this rarely noted persecution."

Elbert Guillory, Louisiana State Senator and candidate for Lieutenant Governor, joined the program to discuss his challenges in running as an African American in a predominantly Democrat districts. Also, it’s coming up on Christmas… Are you planning on donating to charity?

Much like today, no-one wanted to go to New Jersey on December 26th, 1776. But, Washington and his men made the trek anyway, and ultimately emerged victorious in the Battle of Trenton. Now… If we could just remind DC what that whole skirmish in 1776 was all about…

You are hereby notified that there is an official embargo on your comments in the email and hate mail columns effective with this notice. You recent offerings have been so obtuse, so off-topic, so unintelligible that even Jay Carney, White House Press Jester, could only shrug when I asked him to translate.

Randy didn’t need Politifact to tell him that “if you like your health plan, you can keep your health plan” was the lie of the year. A Minnesotan senior citizen on a fixed income, he suffered two heart attacks earlier this year. Then he found out that Obamacare canceled his health insurance, a move that delayed the medical treatment that his life depended on.

Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,
Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.

A few weeks ago, as the New York City Council's health committee considered a ban on using electronic cigarettes in public, several fans of the battery-powered devices sat in the audience, demonstrating their operation.

Normal people aren’t thinking about public policy at this time of year, but I’m a libertarian who has decided to fight against big government in Washington, so I’m definitely not normal and I could be a masochist.

Back in 1823, Clement C. Moore published the classic Christmas poem 'Twas the Night Before Christmas, which convinced the world, once and for all time, that Saint Nicholas (perhaps now better known as "Santa Claus") traveled the world in a miniature sleigh pulled by eight tiny reindeer.

So, today is the deadline for enrolling in ObamaCare for those seeking healthcare coverage at the start of 2014? This is the third deadline and more than likely, it will be followed by additional deadlines for hardship and goodwill exceptions, among other categories yet to be named.

Tue, Dec 24, 2013

It is a fact that Kwanzaa was invented in 1966 by a black radical FBI stooge, Ron Karenga -- aka Dr. Maulana Karenga -- founder of United Slaves, a violent nationalist rival to the Black Panthers. He was also a dupe of the FBI.

One of the most popular theories and commonly taught explanations for why Christmas is on Dec. 25th is because the early church placed Christian holidays at times of Roman celebration to co-opt the local pagan festivals.

Millions of Americans have voiced their support for Phil Robertson over the past week. Where the liberal left met his comments about homosexuality with indignation, social conservatives saw Robertson’s outspokenness as a basic affirmation of the Bible.

A&E's suspension of Phil Robertson for expressing his politically incorrect, Bible-based opinion on homosexual behavior has turned out to be a blessing in disguise and serves as an object lesson for Christian and other social conservatives, as well as other lovers of liberty.

I wouldn't volunteer to be Phil Robertson's speechwriter. He chooses his words too carelessly. But with Christmas arriving, it's worth pausing a moment to consider two other faces of Christianity today.

Driving around last week as I finished my last bit of Christmas shopping, it seemed like Duck Dynasty merchandise was everywhere. Who would have thought, in 2013 the hottest gift ideas would involve rednecks from Louisiana? What's more, I never would have believed anything the "Duck" family said would be a source of national controversy.

For all the children who should be loved always, but especially on this wondrous night, with our arms around them and a long good-night kiss on the temple, a kiss more precious than anything wrapped in a box.

Step One is the investor fresh from one of the big wire houses. The kind that runs big ads on TV. These portfolios are full of well known stocks that ran out of gas years ago. Maybe they are still good companies. But good stocks? No.

The military-backed government continues to move on multiple fronts to establish a more stable civil order. The multiplication of charges against Mursi is aimed a suppressing the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood at all costs through legal actions.

The press has framed Ben Bernanke's valedictory press conference last week in heroic terms. It's as if a veteran quarterback engineered a stunning come-from-behind drive in his final game, and graciously bowed out of the game with the ball sitting on the opponent's one-yard line.

Two thousand years ago, shepherds and wise men followed a star — a bright beacon of light that led them to a simple baby lying in a manger. Since that time, many have come forward to declare that they are the way, the path to a better life, the new light born to bring change.

With a little more than a week remaining in 2013, it feels like the nation dodged a worst-case scenario, and actually has a little wind in its sails. The question now is the level of confidence needed to build enough momentum.

If the central bank’s goal is to avoid sustained inflation or deflation, then the target should be to influence the supply of cash to the economy to equal the level of desired cash balances. To attain this, the central bank has to abandon hyperactive open market operations and activate the discount rate.

Mon, Dec 23, 2013

'Tis the season for creche display controversies and public school decoration debates and First Amendment argumentation, when all the ideologues get a little extra outrage or victimization in their stockings.

Last Thursday, Republican Representative Paul Ryan and Democratic Senator Patty Murray struck a federal budget deal for the next two years. They have presented the agreement as a bipartisan, deficit-cutting solution to the nation’s fiscal problems.

If one were to believe the laudatory tones coming from within the Obama administration following the late-November conclusion of negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program, it would not be unreasonable to conclude that the vast array of threats facing the United States had diminished slightly.

Merry holiday music plays in the doctor's office when a man hears the cancer has returned. It strikes a discordant note. At a crowded Christmas party, a widow reaches to hold a hand that is no longer there and feels more alone than ever. At times, it is hard to reconcile the cheer of the season and the hardships of life.

On December 19, Target disclosed that hackers gained access to as many as 40 million credit and debit cards used by customers of Target during the height of the holiday shopping season, in one of the biggest data breaches in history.

If we have learned anything about Bloomberg during his time as dictator (um… er… “Mayor”) of New York, it’s that he feels justified in imposing his personal life-style choices on others. And he’s been largely successful. After all, who’s going to organize a “smoker’s pride parade,” or a “super-sized-soda sit-in”?

Sean Parnell, who helped us with the development of our "Obamacare: Should You Pay the Premium or the Tax?" tool, has been working on how to get effective and affordable health insurance coverage without dealing with Obamacare.

Sun, Dec 22, 2013

The federal court decision this month that struck down most of Utah's anti-polygamy law as unconstitutional is a fresh reminder that slippery-slope arguments, so frequently ridiculed, deserve more respect than they get.

Let me see if I have this right. According to the Thought Police, Duck Dynasty’s patriarch Phil Robertson is a bigot because he said what the majority of the planet believes namely, that men prefer a woman’s yoo-hoo instead of a man’s Chattahoochee canal?

I’m not a fan of Duck Dynasty. There, I said it. I know that’s not something a conservative is supposed to say because we’re all stereotypes in the eyes of progressives, but I had to unburden myself of that.

Recently, Wikileaks published a portion of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Treaty. The leaked chapter was on intellectual property, and it demonstrates how the US Trade Representative must fix this portion of this massive treaty before it is signed to protect the free market from cronyism, and to ensure that we are not locked into imprudent policies.

In the 1960s, the American Left embraced the anti-Vietnam War movement as its cri de coeur. In the 1970s, the Left’s foreign policy focus shifted to calling for unilateral nuclear disarmament by the US and its Western allies.

President Obama commuted the sentences of eight crack-cocaine offenders Thursday, including that of Clarence Aaron, who was serving a sentence of life without parole for a first-time nonviolent drug conviction when he was 23.

On Friday morning, the day after Thanksgiving, while others are busy rushing around trying to get bargains on sweaters and toys, I take out my ever-burgeoning collection of Christmas music to be listened to over the ensuing few weeks.

The course of freedom and democracy in the world is an evolutionary process, though sometimes it proceeds in the wrong direction. Wines have good years and bad years. If 2013 were a wine, you'd use it to kill weeds.

The Pyongyang government continues to insist that conditions are normal. In one sense, the roundup of relatives of an executed traitor is normal. If they are not executed themselves, they will remain in prison work camps until they die or the regime changes.

After being accused by Republicans and Democrats alike of corporate cronyism and ruining American businesses, the Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank) is seeking to soften its image and has recently named Charles J. “C.J.” Hall as its executive vice president and chief risk officer. Unfortunately, the newly appointed risk officer will do little to ameliorate Congressional concerns as the Bank has many institutional problems that need to be immediately addressed.

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